A serializer/deserializer (SerDes) is a device that is often used in high speed communication systems to facilitate data transmission through a limited number of lines. In general, a SerDes can take a wide bit-width signal bus and reduce the signal bus to, for example, a single differential signal line. The single differential signal line can switch at higher speeds than the wide bit-width signal bus. As a result, a SerDes can facilitate the efficient movement of large amounts of data from one point to another, without having to transmit the data from one point to another over wide parallel data buses. A SerDes may employ techniques to detect whether valid data traffic is present on the signal lines. When valid data traffic is determined to be present, a SerDes may start a training sequence and then transmit and receive data. When valid data traffic is determined to be absent, a SerDes may send a signal to reset or power down a receiver portion of the SerDes associated with receiving data. Therefore, the ability to reliably determine the presence or absence of valid data traffic, while performing other functions such as baseline wander cancellation, is very important in SerDes operation.